Accommodations (Required for DTCs, STCs, and TAs)

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Accommodations (Required for DTCs, STCs,
and TAs)
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Accommodations
Big Picture Objectives

• Identify and understand the purpose of
  accommodations
• Administer accommodations appropriately

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Accommodations
Know the Options

• Know the differences between the following
• Allowable Resources
• Restricted Resources
• Accommodations
• Modifications
• Always refer to the current years Test
  Administration Manual and Accommodations Manual
  for updates

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Accommodations
Definitions

• Accommodation
• Practices and procedures in presentation,
  response, setting, and timing or scheduling that,
  when used in an assessment, provide equitable
  access to all students.
• Accommodations do not compromise the learning
  expectations, construct, grade-level standard,
  and/or measured outcome of the assessment.
• Only approved accommodations by the
  Accommodations Panel are allowed during testing.

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Accommodations
Definitions, contd

• Allowable Resource
• Subject-specific resources identified as
  allowable in the Test Administration Manual
• Restricted Resource
• Computer-based application, tool, functionality,
  or non-electronic resource approved by the
  Accommodations Panel that does not interfere with
  the measured construct, but has restricted
  availability and requires district documentation
  of individual student need prior to use
• Modification
• Any change away from a standard administration
• Modifications result in an invalid test

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Accommodations
Purpose and Eligibility

• Provide a student equal access and equal
  opportunity to meet or exceed grade level
  achievement standards.
• Accommodations are available to all students,
  although the decision to apply accommodations
  must be based on an assessment of individual
  student need.
• Accommodations must be documented within a
  students cumulative file, IEP and/or 504 Plan.

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Accommodations
How to Document

• Students on IEPs or 504 Plans must have any
  needed accommodations documented within their
  plans.
• Students who are English Language Learners or
  General Education and not on an IEP or 504 Plan
  should have any needed accommodations documented
  within their cumulative file.

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Accommodations
When to Identify

• Necessary accommodations should be identified and
  implemented during classroom instruction prior to
  the students participation in the state
  assessment.
• Accommodations used in state assessment must have
  been previously approved by the Accommodations
  Panel and listed in the Accommodations Manual.

• The Accommodations Manual provides guidance on
  how and when to appropriately identify
  accommodations for a student.

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Accommodations
Five Step Process

• Expect participation and academic achievement in
  statewide assessments for all students
• Learn accommodations
• Select accommodations
• Administer accommodations
• Evaluate and improve accommodation use

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Accommodations
Five Step Process

• STEP 1 Expect participation and academic
  achievement in statewide assessments for all
  students.
• STEP 2 Learn accommodations
• STEP 3 Select accommodations

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Accommodations
Five Step Process

• STEP 4 Administer accommodations
• STEP 5 Evaluate and improve accommodation use

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Accommodations
Test Directions Presentation Accommodations

• Who benefits?
• Students who have difficulty or an inability to
  read and comprehend directions presented in
  standard print.
• Students with language processing challenges.
• Students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
• Students who require a multisensory approach to
  learning.

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Accommodations
Response Accommodations

• Who benefits?
• Students with physical, sensory, or learning
  disabilities
• Students who have difficulty with memory,
  sequencing, directionality, alignment, and/or
  organization.

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Accommodations
Setting Accommodations

• Who benefits?
• Students who are easily distracted in large group
  settings and who concentrate best in small groups
  or an individual setting.
• Students who receive accommodations (e.g. read
  aloud, sensory supports) that might distract
  other students.
• Students with physical limitations might need a
  more accessible location, specific room
  conditions or special equipment.

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Accommodations
Scheduling Accommodations

• Who benefits?
• Students who cannot concentrate continuously for
  an extended period of time.
• Students who become frustrated or stressed easily
  and may need frequent or extended relaxation
  breaks.
• Students with health-related disabilities which
  cause varying levels of functioning from day to
  day.
• Students who fatigue easily should take testing
  before physical activities.

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Accommodations
Read-Aloud Accommodation

• Available for Math, Science, and Social Sciences
  (not for Reading)
• OAKS Online supports a computer-based read-aloud
  feature
• English computer-based read-aloud available for
  Math, Science, and Social Sciences
• Spanish computer-based read-aloud available for
  Math
• Human-administered read-aloud is still permitted
• Math read-aloud follows special guidelines
  (posted at Accommodations Webpage)
• Must not distract other students testing

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Accommodations
Read-Aloud Accommodation
In the Moment Request

• If a student requests this accommodation while
  testing and it was not previously identified as a
  needed accommodation for the particular student,
  read verbatim the student directions provided in
  Appendix B.
• The TA should not provide any accommodation to a
  student that was not selected based on an
  assessment of individual student need.

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Accommodations
Coding Accommodations

• Required code for IEP students
• Number of Accommodations
• Select none or one or more
• Optional code
• Accommodation Code
• District can identify up to six specific
  accommodations by unique 4-digit code
• Update in TIDE, TA Interface, or Student Centered
  Staging

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Accommodations
Dos and Donts

• Dos
• Refer to the Accommodations Manual for
  accommodations implementation guidance.
• Refer to students IEP, 504 Plan or cumulative
  file to determine which accommodations should be
  provided.
• Note that although writing prompts may be
  translated locally, they must be completed in
  advance by a trained translator endorsed by the
  district and must be stored securely. Translator
  also needs to be trained in Test Security and
  sign an Assurance of Test Security form.

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Accommodations
Dos and Donts, contd

• Dos (contd)
• TAs may read numerals and math symbols aloud on
  the math test if they follow the guidance and
  examples posted on the ODE website.
• In general, numbers and symbols can be read
  according to their common English usage. For
  example, gt would be read as is greater than.
• Numbers 99 and less should be read using standard
  place value language. For example, 23 would be
  read as twenty-three.

• However, numbers greater than 99 should be read
  as individual numbers. For example, 579 would be
  read as five seven nine.

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Accommodations
Dos and Donts, contd

• Donts
• Indicate as needed or as appropriate when
  documenting accommodations
• Choose every accommodation available for an
  assessment just to be safe
• Assume the same accommodations remain appropriate
  year after year
• Provide an accommodation for the first time on
  the day of testing
• Provide the same accommodations for every student
  in the class, grade, or program

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Accommodations
Dos and Donts, contd

• Donts
• TAs may not provide instruction or give
  suggestions regarding process.
• TAs may not choose to administer an accommodation
  for all students in a class or a grade.
• TAs may not read Reading items or response
  choices aloud.
• TAs may not read ELPA items or response choices
  aloud.
• Items may not be translated.
• If you cant find it in the TAM or Accommodations
  Manual, dont do it.

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Accommodations
Promising Practices

• Schools/Districts should have a process of
  determining appropriate accommodations for
  students not on IEPs or 504 Plans, such as
  students in general education
• Schools/Districts should have a system in place
  to inform students of available accommodations
  and allow them to request consideration for use
  of an accommodation during testing
• Encourage students to do their best
• Ask a student if he/she needs a break if
• they appear to lose focus

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Accommodations
In a Nutshell

• Accommodations are determined and administered
  for individual students
• Accommodations used during state assessments must
  be selected from the Accommodations Manual
• Administration of accommodations for one student
  must not interfere with the testing conditions of
  another student

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DTC Training
Online Resources

• Test Administration Manual and Best Practices
  Guide httpwww.ode.state.or.us/go/tam
• Accommodations Manual and Webpage
  http//www.ode.state.or.us/search/page/?487
• Math Read Aloud Guidelines http//www.ode.state.o
  r.us/teachlearn/testing/manuals/tables/math-read-
  aloud-accommodation-guidelines.pdf
• Promising Practices http//www.ode.state.or.us/se
  arch/page/?2444

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Accommodations
Acorns for Storage

• What are some common errors in the administration
  of accommodations and how can they be avoided?
• Why should an accommodation be provided to a
  student?
• May decisions regarding accommodations be made
  for
• Individual students?
• Groups of students?